Decorative wearing apparel



Oct. 15, 1963 l. STEER ETAL DECORATIVE WEARING APPAREL Filed OGb. 14, 195,9

5 m m mf w Z w f ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,106,721 DECORATIVE WEARING APPAREL Inez Steer, 1020 E. Lake Shore, and Virginia B. Hinman, 717 S. Park, both of Springfield, Ill. Filed Oct. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 846,361 Claims. (Cl. 2-209.1)

This invention relates to a decorative head covering. Our invention contemplates a head covering that is relatively soft and comformable as well as adjustable so that it may be fitted to any desired head size or dressv of hair. It is also capable of being flattened without injury or disgurement so that it may be stored or carried in a small space. These properties also enable the subject of this invention to be worn in other ways, such as that of a removable collar.

It is an object of our invention to produce an article of wearing apparel suitable for optional use, either as a hat or as a collar.

It is also an object of our invention to provide combs for attaching the hat to the head of the wearer and pockets for housing the combs when not in use, such as when the article is being used as a collar.

The invention is characterized by a neat, tasteful appearance so that, when made up of suitable materials and trimming, it may be worn for dress occasions. However, the vinvention is highly versatile in its susceptibility of decoration so that, with bolder treatment, it may be used for more casual wear.

Because of the versatile manner of use, and flexibility of construction, other modes and styles of wearing the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the apparel arts.

In the drawings accompanying this specification:

FIGURE l shows the invention being worn as a collar;

FIGURE 2 shows the invention being worn as a hat;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the underside of the hat;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG- URE 3 showing the hair engaging portion of the invention in greater detail; and

FIGURE 5 is a section taken along the line S-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings, the number refers generally to the hat of our invention, having a relatively wide brim portion 12 and a central opening 14. When iiattened, the overall shape of the hat and of the opening, is generally elliptical. Along the major axis of the ellipse, one end of the brim is interrupted to give the hat an approximately horseshoe shape. The body 16 of the hat is formed of any suitable textile material, the term here being used in its broadest sense to include knitted or felted materials or soft leather. However, it is desirable that the body be made of suitably pliant material so that, when it is placed upon the head as shown in FIGURE 2, it will conform smoothly thereto.

In order to make the hat adjustable to various head sizes, upon the two ends 20, adjacent the inner opening 14, are secured a pair of tapes or ribbons 22. These may be tied at an appropriate point, depending upon the size required, with the knot formed into a decorative bow. Other suitable fastening devices may be employed, it being desirable that they possess a decorative as well as fastening function or at least, if the fastener is not decorative per se, it is desirable for it to be inconspicuous and suitable for supporting an element of decorative character, serving to conceal the fastening itself.

Upon the body 16 of the hat 10, there is supported decorative material in such manner as to largely, if not entirely conceal the body 15. As is well known, the

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2 decorative possibilities for hats are almost limitless, yet there are a few, relatively obvious limitations applicable to our construction. In order to enable the hat to be conformed to the wearer, it has been pointed out that the body i6 should be flexible and pliant. The decorative material 18 secured to the body should be similarly pliant or at least articulated so that the effect of pliancy will be obtained. In the embodiment shown, the decorative material is formed of satin in a conventionalized leaf pattern, arranged in staggered fashion. This construction has proven highly adaptable, enabling the wearer Lo choose among several hair styles, without changing ats.

It is desirable to provide suitable means for securing the hat to the head of the wearer; in many instances, conventional hat pins may be employed. We have also found the construction shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 quite satisfactory. To the underside of the body 16, there are secured a pair of bands 24 as by stitching 26. These bands form pockets for receiving combs 28. In turn, short elastic tethering cords 30 knotted at 32 in the body 16, are connected to the combs. The combs may be removed from their respective pockets and enmeshed in the hair beneath the hat to hold it in place as it is being worn. If it is not desired to make use of the combs or if the hat is to be carried or stored, the combs may be tucked in place in the pockets.

Since the hat, when not in use, lies ilat, it is easily stored or packed with other articles of clothing.

When formed of suitable decorative material 18, the hat is relatively adaptable for wear as a collar as sho-wn in FIGURE 1. The pliant nature of the body enables the device to be conformed to the wearers neck with the assistance of the adjustable fastening devices 22. This construction materially enhances the range of utility of the invention herein disclosed.

We claim:

l. An adjustable, open crown head covering comprising a brim member which, when laid fiat, has the geometrical form of a broken elliptical ring being generally horseshoe-shaped, said brim member having an upper, decorative face and an under, head contacting face, said under, head contacting face being provided with hair engaging elements, means for liexibly tethering said hair engaging elements to said under head contacting face, each said hair engaging element having hair interengaging portions at one end thereof and means provided for housing at least the said interengaging portions in non-operative position whereby said hair engaging elements may optionally be employed to secure said head covering to the wearers head or said elements may be left inoperative while the covering is wom without need for securing to the head, said brim member being formed of pliant material so as to enable it to be conformed to variations in head shapes and connecting means for connecting the outer portions of the horseshoe.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the housing means is formed of pliant material so as to enable it to be conformed to variations in head shapes.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the connecting means is formed of a pair of flexible elongated elements, one each secured to each of the arms of the horseshoe, said elements being adapted for tieing in a bow.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein the hair engaging elements are combs tethered to the brim member, said tethers being elastically elongatable and engaged between the two faces.

5. The article of claim l wherein the decorative face is made up of a plurality of discrete elements interconnected for flexible articulation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Baker Juri. 10, 1950 Martin June 19, 1951 Torricelli Jan. 26, 1954 Scheper Oct. 2, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria May 25, 1950 Belgium Oct. 24, 1958 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE, OPEN CROWN HEAD COVERING COMPRISING A BRIM MEMBER WHICH, WHEN LAID FLAT, HAS THE GEOMETRICAL FORM OF A BROKEN ELLIPTICAL RING BEING GENERALLY HORSESHOE-SHAPED, SAID BRIM MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER, DECORATIVE FACE AND AN UNDER, HEAD CONTACTING FACE, SAID UNDER, HEAD CONTACTING FACE BEING PROVIDED WITH HAIR ENGAGING ELEMENTS, MEANS FOR FLEXIBLY TETHERING SAID HAIR ENGAGING ELEMENTS TO SAID UNDER HEAD CONTACTING FACE, EACH SAID HAIR ENGAGING ELEMENT HAVING HAIR INTERENGAGING PORTIONS AT ONE END THEREOF AND MEANS PROVIDED FOR HOUSING AT LEAST THE SAID INTERENGAGING PORTIONS IN NON-OPERATIVE POSITION WHEREBY SAID HAIR ENGAGING ELEMENTS MAY OPTIONALLY BE EMPLOYED TO SECURE SAID HEAD COVERING TO THE WEARER''S HEAD OR SAID ELEMENTS MAY BE LEFT INOPERATIVE WHILE THE COVERING IS WORN WITHOUT NEED FOR SECURING TO THE HEAD, SAID BRIM MEMBER BEING FORMED OF PLINT MATERIAL SO AS TO ENABLE IT TO BE CONFORMED TO VARIATIONS IN HEAD SHAPES AND CONNECTING MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE OUTER PORTIONS OF THE HORSESHOE. 